Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Some RCMP officers seemed to be in the right place at the right time in Labrador on Tuesday.

While on route from Makkovik to Hopedale the RCMP Air Service spotted a man on sea ice waiving for help. He was about 19-kilometres from Makkovik.

The RCMP plane signaled to the man that he’d been seen and continued to its destination. After landing the police contacted a Canadian Coast Guard helicopter that was already in the community. One of the officers hopped on board the chopper and flew back to pick up the man.

The chopper picked up the stranded hunter from the ice. Apparently his snowmobile had broken down.

He had no survival gear with him besides his hunting rifle. He was taken back to Makkovik.

Coincidentally, in an unrelated incident, another man also had to be rescued from the shoreline about 40-kilometres south west of Hopedale.

His snowmobile also broke down on the ice but he managed to make it to shore. When he got to land he activated a GPS device that broadcasted a signal for help.

Again the coast guard chopper was sent out. The man was recovered without injury or further